First of all Michaels also fired Joan Cusack, Robert Downey Jr and Anthony Michael Hall, so what he considered dead weight is open to interpretation.

That said, he also fired Dinitra Vance, the first African-American woman cast member and let's not kid ourselves SNL's record on race, that's not thrilling. (Among African-Americans of note they fired were Damon Wayans and Chris Rock.)

I watched quite afew rerruns of SNL during that period. I have to say there were times I admired its fearlessness. One episode was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and it took the position of directing the show as if it were sort of performance art. Sweeney showed up and played the part of willing companion: after the introduction, he walked up to Coppola and said: "I'm writer/cast member Terry Sweeney. Thank God you're here! Only you can save this sinking ship!" It was a committment that really worked. He also did some superb work where he really leaned into his sexual identity from the start. Give Michaels credit for letting him got that far in 1985, even in late night most people wouldn't have a llowed at all.